Fluid pressure operated vise



June 22, 1948- CARL-AXEL OLSON 2,443,775

. FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED vISE Filed June 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 634R1 A x51 01 504 7' ATTOR/VEY/ Patented June 22, 1948 UNITED STATESears-NT OFFICE Application June 1 1945, Serial No. 597,136 In SwedenJune 3, 1944 For rapid clamping and loosening of work pieces vices'a-remade use oi, which are actuated by some source of power other than handpower. Thus, for example, one would use pneumatically or hydraulicallyoperated clamping plungers adapted directly to actuate a movableclamping jaw. In certain cases, one would use pneumatic pressure for thedisplacement of plungers, which would in turn bring about a plungermovement imparting pressure to the oil, which oil pressure would thenact upon a plunger rigidly connected with a displaceable jaw. In theloosening of the work piece, the air pressure and thus the oil pressurewould be reduced so as to permit the movable jaw to release the workpiece. I

All of these and other clamping methods have advantages as well asdrawbacks. The present invention has obviated the drawbacks, however,and furthermore shows a considerable cheapness relatively to the knowntypes.

The invention is distinguished by a clamping device, such as a vice,wherein the power for pressure or pull in one or more of the jaws isexerted by means of air or oil pressure, or both,

acting upon one or more plungers, the power being transmitted to themovable jaw from the plunger or plungers by means: of one or more wedgesfixed to the plunger or plungers or pivoted. thereto or arranged thereonin some other manner, said wedge or wedges causing, at the displacementof the plunger or plungers, a rotary movement with its or their wedgesurfaces on one, two or more bell crank levers, which are in turnpivoted about pins arranged in a part rigidly connected with the vice,the other lever or levers of the bell crank levers being at the sametime adapted to actuate the movable jaw (slide), so that the latter isdisplaced to retain the Work piece, and vice vers-a.

Moreover, the invention is characterized in that the wedge or wedges aremade with conical or curved wedge surfaces, that the bell crank leversadapted to actuate the movable jaw are provided at the end thereof withrollers, by means of which the power is transferred onto the compressivesurf-ace provided with the movable jaw, that the wedge or wedges are soarranged that, when the plunger or plungers are displaced, the same willexert their power by a pulling effect on the respective levers and thuson the movable jaw.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows a clamping device according to theinvention viewed in part from above and in part in horizontal section.Fig. 2 is a sectional view on 4 Claims. (CL 81'17.2)

the line 22 of Fig. l and shows the same claimping device viewed incross section through the lever axes. Fig. 3 shows a longitudinalvertical section of the clamping device and is taken on the line 33 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. l and shows across section through the adjustable clamping jaw. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section of a detail for the. returning of the clamping jaw.

In the drawings. it designates the stationary lower portion of theclamping device, which is rigidly connected with the static-naryclamping jaw 38 by means of bolts 38. Extending through the whole is anaperture 31 for the securing of the clamping device to a table. Theclamping plate 35 proper is secured to the upper portion 5 of theclamping jaw by means of a screw. Arranged beneath the bottom portion itis a movable plate 39, which is in turn screwed to a slide piece 29 bymeans of bolts 40, said slide piece running over the slide plane 3 2 andextending over the whole clamping device, while being connected throughspindles 28 to the pneumatic contrivance according to the invention forthe clamping operation. Adjustably arranged on the slide piece 29 is themovable jaw E with a clamping plate which is secured to the jaw by meansof a bolt 42, and is otherwise adapted to run over a slide 3! having twobranches 32. See Fig. 4. The jaw 4 is adjusted into various positionsrelatively to the slide piece 29 by means of the bolt as. The slidepiece 29 with the movable jaw 4 will, when coupled together, move for avery small distance of two or three millimeters as a In accordance withthe invention, the jaw 4 is first adjusted relatively to the slide piece29, and the pneumatic power brings about the requisite compressionbetween the clamping plates 35 and33 by means of the force actingagainst the spindles 28. When this force ceases, the work piece isloosened by the fact that the movable jaw ii, 28 is returned by means ofthe spring 46, which is strained by means of the nut 47 into the lowerportion of the clamping device so as to actuate the plate 3% over thepart 45. See Fig. 5.

The clamping power on the spindles 28 is produced as follows. Providedin the front portion I of the clamping device, which is rigidlyconnected with the substructure H), is a recess 12, wherein operate twolevers l3 provided with double arms. The levers 13 move about rigidlymounted pins I4, which are secured in the middle portion l l of theclamping device. The one arm 48 of the two different arms of the leversis provided with a milled-out portion receiving a roller 53, which ismovable about a pin 52. The other lever arm l likewise has a milled outportion therein having a roller l1 movable therein, which is rotatableabout a pin I6. Arranged on the stationary part of the vice is a plungercylinder 2 receiving a plunger 6 with packing rings 19. The cylinder 2has .a cover 3 having an air intake 2| provided therein, the air beingconveyed through a passageway 22 arranged in the valve housing 20. Thevalve housing also has the plug-cock 25 arranged therein, said cockconsisting of the conical portion 23 secured by the nut 80 and kept inposition by the spring 24 within. the housing 20 and the lining 21,which is conical on the inside and cylindrical on the outside thereof.The plugcock is actuated by an arm 26 and is otherwise formed as athree-way cock, so that the air may pass through channel 22 directlyinto the space 1 to propel the plunger 6 or through the passage 4| toenter into the chamber I2 to return the plunger 6.

Clamped to the plunger 6 by means of a cylindrical pin 9 is awedge-shaped part 8 having the wedge-shaped surfaces lying in verticalplanes. The Wedge 8 enters between the two rollers 11. 49 denotesrecesses provided in the clamping device to make room for the nut of abolt extending through the hole 50 for the clamping of the clampingdevice at a table.

The arrangement operates in the following manner: The jaw is fixed onthe slide plane 29, so that the span will be inconsiderably greater (forinstance 3 millimeters) than the width of the material to be clampedfast. After that, the object is fitted in between the clamping plates33, 35, the cock arm 26 being turned so as to admit compressed air intothe space 1. The plunger then moves toward the left in the drawing, andthe wedge forces the rollers 11 apart, which results in that the rollers53 press upon the spindles 28 and thus on the slide piece 29, so thatthe object is clamped fast. When the object is to be loosened, the airis released by a turning movement of the cock arm 26, or, the air isconveyed through the channel 4| toward the other side of the plunger, sothat the pressure ceases and the spring 4! becomes effective for thereturn movement.

The invention may also be carried into effect in other ways without thescope of the same being exceeded. In addition to air, it is alsopossible to use liquid or different gases as an operating medium.

What I claim is:

1. A fluid pressure operated vice comprising in combination a frame, astationary jaw mounted upon said frame, a movable jaw, retracting meansfor normally retaining said movable jaw in one position upon said frame,a pair of spindles independently and slidably mounted within said frame,a pair of bell crank levers pivotally mounted within said frame, acylinder secured to said frame, a fluid operated plunger arranged withinsaid cylinder and a wedge carried by said plunger for engagement withsaid bell crank levers whereby the latter at times will be caused tocontact said spindles for moving said movable jaw towards saidstationary jaw against the action of said retracting means.

2. A fluid pressure operated vice comprising in combination a frame, astationary and a movable jaw mounted upon said frame, a pair of spindlesslidably mounted in said frame and at times adapted to engage saidmovable jaw, a pair of bell crank levers pivotally mounted upon saidframe and adapted to engage said spindles, a fluid operated plunger, awedge extending from and concentrically arranged upon said plunger andsaid wedge having two wedge surfaces engageable with said bell cranklevers whereby, when said plunger is moved in one direction said bellcrank levers will cause said spindles to slidably engage said movablejaw.

,3. A fluid pressure operated vice comprising in combination a frame, astationary jaw and a movable jaw mounted upon said frame, a pair ofspindles slidably mounted upon said frame and at times adapted tocontact said movable jaw, a pair of pins mounted within said frame, abell crank lever pivotally mounted upon each pin, a rollercarried byeach bell crank lever and adapted at times to contact with saidspindles, a fluid operated plunger, a wedge extending from andconcentrically arranged upon said plunger and said wedge having twowedge-shaped surfaces each engageable with one of said bell cranklevers.

4. A fluid pressure operated vice comprising in combination a frame, astationary jaw mounted upon said frame, a movable jaw, retracting meansfor normally retaining said movable jaw in one position upon said frame,a pair of spindles independently and slidably mounted within said frame,a pair of bell crank levers pivotally mounted within said frame, aroller carried by each bell crank lever and engageable with saidspindles, a cylinder secured to said frame, a fluid operated plungerslidably mounted within said cylinder and a wedge carried by andconcentrically arranged upon said plunger for engagement with said bellcrank levers whereby the latter at times will cause the rollers carriedthereby to contact said spindles for moving said movable jaw towardssaid stationary jaw against the action of said retracting means.

CARL-AXEL OLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,060,477 Meyers Apr. 29, 19131,619,137 Knott Mar. 1, 1927 2,335,743 Cross Nov. 30, 1943 2,350,002 VanSittert et al May 30, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 451,049Great Britain July 29, 1926

